Vehicle-wheel.



PATENTED 11H0. 11, I`1906.

E.- KEYSER. VEHICLE WHEEL. rrmoumn Hmm 11111114.1908.

EDWARD KEYSER, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

To afl-Z whom 1t/:indy concern."

Be itA known. that I, EDWARD KEi'rsERl l a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle,-

Wheels', of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of wheels wherein a pneumatic cushion surrounds the hub of the wh'eel and receives the impact of collapsible spokes, so as to allow a flexible rim to yield to the inequalities ofthe roadway; and my improvements consist of the particu'- `lars hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa Iside elevation of one of my improved wheels, the `-port1on thereof embraced by the line :z: x being' vshown in section, taken on a vertical ylineV similar to the line y y y of Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line z 2 z of Fig. 1.

Similar' letters lof reference designate similar parts in both the iigures.

The hub of the wheel is formed of a' metal tube A, reinforced, secondarily, by asleeve B "and having a dished disk C'applied'over each of its ends and retained thereupon by the nuts b b, engaging with-the threaded ends a al of the hub A. y

D is a'metal ring held between the disks C C and having sleeves E E, threaded into and securely. attached to it. These lsleeves are reinforced and extended by supplemental sleeves e e, through which work thel pistonspokes F, having their bases expanded into enlarged heads f f, which pla u on a flexible steel band G, the ends of W ic 1 are lapped,

as'shown in Fig. 1, without being fastened together, so as to permit the contraction and exppnsion of the hoop formed by the spring.

I ithin the springG, I lplace a rubber aircushion H, provided With central apertures, through 'which the ends of the hub A are passe after which the disks 'C C are slipped onto the hub and the nuts b b screwed firmly down, thus clamping the edges of the aircushion between the reinforcing-sleeve of the hub and the disks C C and making an airtight connection between them. A suitable air-valve h is passed through one of thev disks C and connected with the pneumatic cush- ,Inside of the air-cushion and aroundv the reinforcing-sleeve D D, I place a solid-rubber ring I, which serves to receive the impact of Specicationof Letters Patent. A applicati@ nea nach i4,

Patented nec. 11,1906.

1906. Serial No. 305,942.

the spokes if the pressure is sufficient todrivev the top of the air-cushion down into contact with the ring I. s'

The disks C C are further secured together 'by bolts k 7c and the bolts j serving to center the ring D in its proper position. y The felly of the wheel is formed of metallic guttered vsections M M, hinged together at 'm mland provided with lugs n n, to which the ends of the spokes F F are pivoted at 0 o.

The tire P is preferably formed of a rubber tube, within which is inserted a VIiexible metal band Q, composed of links g g, connected by pivot-pins r r, so as to allow the composite tire to bend withoutcollapsing or losing its shape.A

The operation of my wheel isy as follows: When the wheel is placed upon a vehicleaxle, the weight of the vehicle will be transmitted through the hub, Vair-cushion, and

steel band G tothp spoke-heads and through the spokes to felly andV tire.' As t e wheel revolves thefelly will yield inwardly at each hinged joint as it realchesvthe ground, the joint rocking over the end of the spoke, which also yields, its uptlu'ust being received `by the steel band and air-cushion. Thefurther turning of the wheel Will gradually relieve the spoke of its load, the bottom section of the felly rocking over the'spokes end and yielding inwardly vat the next joint as it` reaches the ground. This movement permits the rim of the Wheel to accommodate itself to the yielding of the spokes and the conse uent shortening of the vertical diameter o the4 wheel. The rubber band I sustains the top of the air-cushion iiunder heavy loads or upon rough roads the top of the air-cushion is driven up by the spoke-head against the band. i l

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-fl 1. .The combination, in a vehicle-Wheel, of a rim embodying hinged sections, yielding vpiston spokes, a centrally located, -pneumatic cushion to receive the separate and successive thrusts of the spokes, and a tire embodying a rubber casing' surrounding a metal 'core composed of flat, pivotally-connected sections. 4"

2. The combination, 1n a vehicle-Wheel, of

a rim embodying hinged sections, yielding piston.- spokes, a centrally-located, pneumatic cushion to receivel the separate and successive thrusts of the spokes, and a tire Va flexible rim,

'matic cushion. i

embodying a tubular, rubber casing surrounding a metal core composed of flat sections of uniform form'pivotally connected to each other.

3. The combination, in a Vehicle-Wheel, of

'elding piston-spokes, and a pneumatic cusliion surrounding the hub of the Wheel and confined between rigid side Walls and a flexible metallic to band.

4. The combination, in-a ve 'cle-Wheel, of a flexible rim, yielding piston-spokes, and a pneumatic cushion surrounding the hub of .the Wheel and confined between metallic disks, .forming ri id side walls,l and a flexible, metallic top ban( anda solid, elastic bumper# band encircling thehub Within the pneu- 5. The combination, in a vehidewheel, f

a flexible rim, yielding iston-spokes, tubular v' upon a base-ring, a'

spoke-sleeves mounte Y pneumatic cushion within said base-rin to 'receive the thrust of the spokes, and an e astic, metallic band encircling the-pneumatic cushion within said base-ring.

a flexible rim, yielding istonespokes, tubular spoke-sleeves mount upon a base-ring, a

. pneumatic cushion Awithin said base-ring to receive the'thrust of the spokes, an elastic, metallic bandencircling the pneumatic cushion Within said basegfring, and rigid, metallic, side disks embracing said base-ring, band and cushion. a

l 7. The combination, in a vehicle-Wheel, of a flexible rim, yielding piston-s kes with expanded heads, tubular spoke-s eeves mount- 6. The combination, in a vehicle-Wheel, of-

'a flexible rim, yielding piston-spokes with expanded heads,- tubularspoke-sleeves mounted upon a base-ring, an elastic, metal band Within said base-ring, a pneumatic cushion Within said band, an elastic bumper Within said cushion and surrounding a reinforcingsleeve mounted upon the Wheel-hub, and

- side disks embracing said base-ring, band and -cushion. .I

9. The combination, in a vehicle-wheel, of.

a flexible rim, yielding piston-spokes with expanded' heads, tubular spoke-sleeves 'mounted upon a base-ring, an elastic, metal band Within 'said base-ring, a pneumatic cushion within said band, an elastic bumperwithin said cushion and'surrounding a reinforcingsleeve mounted upon the wheel-hub, and si disks embracing said base-ring, band and A cushion, and secured by collar-nuts tothe ends of the' hub.

10. The combination, ina vehicle-wheel, of

a hub, a pneumatic cushion surroundinv thehub, an elastic bumper within said cus 'on piston-spokes bearing upon the cushion, and a rim surrounding the outer ends ofthe s okesi EDWARD KEYS R.

Witnesses: l 'y WILLIAM H. Mona, BENJAMIN F. FARRAR. 

